He told me that his sister is clinically depressed and read Naked during a month-long visit to a psychiatric hospital. According to him, once she'd finished, she loaned it to a fellow patient, who, in turn, loaned it to someone else. The book seemed to lift people's spirits, and as a result, the hospital has made it recommended reading. I'm not sure whether I believe this, but it's extremely flattering to think my book is being passed around a German asylum.
In his book "Theft by Finding: Diaries," David Sedaris recounts a conversation where a man shared that his sister, who is battling clinical depression, read Sedaris' work "Naked" during her stay at a psychiatric hospital. After completing the book, she shared it with another patient, and it continued to circulate among others, seemingly uplifting their spirits in a difficult environment.
This anecdote, although hard for Sedaris to fully believe, highlights a unique and flattering aspect of his writing. The fact that "Naked" is recommended reading at this mental health facility suggests that it resonates with patients and provides some comfort, which is particularly meaningful to the author.
